Support with locking device for a barbecue grill cover

ABSTRACT

A support with a locking device for a barbecue grill cover has an upright base plate, a horizontal adjusting plate and a locking plate. The base plate has a channel defined in a lower end thereof and multiple parallel slots defined transversely in an upper end thereof. The adjusting plate has a slit defined transversely in a middle portion thereof. The base plate is inserted into the slit. A first wing of the locking plate is inserted into a slot so that the adjusting plate is securely connected to the base plate. The support with a locking device is mounted at a front end of a barbecue grill and a cover is leaned against the support so that the cover can be positioned at a desired height.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a support with a locking device, andmore particularly to a support with a locking device for a barbecue,with which it is easy to adjust the height of a barbecue grill cover tocontrol the temperature.

2. Description of the Related Art

A barbecue has a gas burner, a grill and a cover. The cover is mountedover the grill to concentrate the heat and accelerate the cookingprocess.

However, the cover can only be completely opened or completely closed.Hence, when cooking, the grill is either completely exposed orcompletely covered such that it is difficult to control the temperature.

Therefore, the invention provides a support with a locking device for abarbecue grill cover to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a support witha locking device for a barbecue grill cover with which is easy to adjustthe height of the cover to control the temperature.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial operational perspective view of a support with alocking device for a barbecue grill cover in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the support with a locking device for abarbecue grill cover in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the support with a lockingdevice for a barbecue grill cover in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an operational side view of the support with a locking devicefor a barbecue grill cover in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a partial operational side view of the support with a lockingdevice for a barbecue grill cover in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIG. 1, a barbecue has a body (10), a gas burner (notshown) mounted in the body (10), a grill (12) mounted on a top of thebody (10), and a cover (15) pivotally mounted on a top end of the body(10). The grill (12) is substantially rectangular, has four sides and aframe (11) formed around the four sides of the grill (12). A supportwith a locking device (20) is mounted on the frame (11) at a front endof the grill (12). The grill (12) is covered with the cover (15), whichcan be pivoted along a rear end of the grill (12).

With further reference to FIGS. 2-3, the locking device (20) has anupright base plate (21), a horizontal adjusting plate (22), a lockingplate (23), and a spring (24).

The base plate (21) has a bracket (211) mounted on a lower sidewallthereof. A channel (210) is formed between the bracket (211) and thelower sidewall of the base plate (21). The channel (210) faces downwardand has two open ends. Multiple parallel slots (212) are transverselydefined in the base plate (212).

The adjusting plate (22) has a handle (221) mounted at a first endthereof and an up-turned end (222) formed at a second end thereof. Aslit (220) is defined transversely in a middle portion of the adjustingplate (22) and has a larger width than the base plate (21). Two ears(223) are respectively formed at two opposite sides of the adjustingplate (22) and extend upwards. Corresponding through holes are definedin each ear (223). A pin (224) is inserted through the through holes inthe ears (223).

The locking plate (23) has a V-shaped cross section forming two wings. Afirst wing has a bent locking tab (230) formed at a free end and asecond wing has a bent thumb tab (231) formed at a free end.

In assembly, the base plate (21) is inserted into the slit (220) of theadjusting plate (22) so that the adjusting plate (22) can be movedlongitudinally along the base plate (21). The locking plate (23) ismounted on the adjusting plate (22) between the ears (223). The pin(224) is inserted into the through holes of the ears (223) over thelocking plate (23) so that the locking plate (23) can pivot about thepin (224). The spring (24) is mounted between the adjusting plate (22)and the thumb tab (231) to bias the locking plate (23). The locking tab(230) is inserted into and securely connected to a slot (212).

In another embodiment, the spring (24) can be mounted between theadjusting plate (22) and the wing of the locking plate (23) with thelocking tab (230) thereby the wing is pulled downward by the spring.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 4, the support with a locking device (20)is mounted on front end of the grill (12) with the frame (11) receivedin the channel (211). When the cover (15) is open, a front end of thecover (15) can be placed on an upper surface of the adjusting plate(22), which can be positioned at a desired height.

With further reference to FIG. 5, when the thumb tab (231) is presseddownward the locking tab (230) separates from the slot (212). Theadjusting plate (22) can then be moved upwards or downwards to a desiredheight. Then the pressure is released from the thumb tab (231) and thelocking tab (230) is inserted into another slot (212) by a resilientforce of the spring (24). Thus, the cover (15) can be kept open at adesired height relative to the grill (12) easily and conveniently.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages of the present invention have been setforth in the foregoing description, together with details of thestructure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrativeonly. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters ofshape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of theinvention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning ofthe terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

1. A support with a locking device for a barbecue grill covercomprising: an upright base plate having a channel defined at a lowerend thereof and facing downward and having two open ends, multipleparallel slots defined transversely in an upper end thereof; ahorizontal adjusting plate having a slit defined transversely in amiddle portion thereof wherein the base plate is inserted into the slit,and a handle mounted at a first end and extending out thereof; and alocking plate pivotally mounted on the adjusting plate and between theslit and the handle and having a V-shaped cross section forming a firstwing and a second wing, a bent locking tab formed at a free end of thefirst wing adjacent to the slit, and a bent thumb tab formed at a freeend of the second wing adjacent to the handle; and a spring mountedbetween the adjusting plate and the locking plate.
 2. The support with alocking device for a barbecue grill cover as claimed in claim 1, whereintwo ears are respectively formed in two sides of the adjusting plate andextend upward, two through holes are defined respectively in the ears, apin is inserted into through holes in the ears over the locking platewhereby the locking plate is mounted pivotally on the adjusting plate.3. The support with a locking device for a barbecue grill cover asclaimed in claim 2, wherein a bracket is mounted at the lower end of thebase plate forming a channel between the lower end of base plate and thebracket.
 4. The support with a locking device for a barbecue grill coveras claimed in claim 1, wherein the spring is mounted between the secondwing and the adjusting plate.
 5. The support with a locking device for abarbecue grill cover as claimed in claim 4, wherein an up-turned end isformed at a free end of the adjusting plate.